Lubricant compressor



Jan. 14, 1930. H. .1. MURPHY LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Inveng 21.- Howawd IMT/07701713, Zvguw* mwa-'v U diz Jan. 14, 1930. H, J, MURPHY' 1,743,376

LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 11, 1925 2 sheets-sheet Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD J'. MURPHY, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LUBRICANT comrnnsson Application led February 11, 1925. Serial No. 8,584.

This invention aims to provide improvements in lubricating apparatus and an improved method of filling lubricant compressors.

In the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiments of my invention:

Figure l is a section partly in elevation showing a lubricant compressor, in elevation, being filledfrom a lubricant supply apparatus, and showing the means for retractlng the plunger of the compressor mounted upon the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the apparatus for quick retraction of the lubricant compressor plunger;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the preferred form of lubricant compressor showing the compressor being secured to the nipple presented by the lubricant supply apparatus;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the discharge end of the compressor as it appears when fully engaged with the nipple and clutch device presented by the lubricant supply apparatus; t

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the discharge end of the compressorv showing the normal relation of the parts thereof;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of the discharge end of the compressor as it appears when fully engaged with a lubricant-receiving nipple and showin the relation of the parts thereof when lu ricant is being expelled from the barrel of the compressor to the nipple;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 6, showing the relation of the parts when the high pressure chamber is being illed with lubricant from the barrel of the compressor; and

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7 ,showing the relation of the parts during expulsion of lubricant from the high pressure chamber of the compressor to a lubricant-receiving nipple.

My invention, as illustrated by the draw ings, includes a lubricant compressor which may be loaded with lubricant through the discharge end thereof, and apparatus for use in filling the device, as more fully hereinafter described.

Heretofore the usual method of filling lubrlcant compressors was to remove the back head thereof. This was usually accomplished by iirst retracting the piston, located in the barrel of the compressor, and then removing the piston, piston stem, handle and head as a unit, thereby permitting access to the barrel for loading purposes. After the barrel was reloaded, the head had to be replaced on the barrel. That method of filling lubricant compressors requires a great deal'of time and patience and at best is a very unsatisfactory operation because it is almost impossible to fill the barrel of the compressor without spilling lubricant on some of the parts of the compressor.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a device forA filling lubricant compressors through their discharge ends; Thisy device includes a suitable base l for supporting a large barrel or tank 2 of lubricant having a removable head 3 at its upper end. This head 3 supports a large rotatable nut 4 into which is threaded a stem 5 secured to the plunger 6, which is drawn upwardly to compress the lubricant in the tank, by rotation of a handwheel 7 at the upper end of the stem or by rotation of the nut 4 as hereinafter described. The head 3 may be secured to the tank in any suitable manner, as by large set screws 8. Leakage between the head 3 and the tank is prevented by a suitable packing 9 secured to the head 3 and pressed against the tank by the lubricant to form a seal. Relatively long handles l0 extend outwardly from the nut 4, so that a favorable leverage may be exerted upon the nut to turn it relative to the stem 5 for moving the plunger upwardly to apply great pressure on the lubricant in the tank.

The head 3 of the filling device alsosupports a pressure gage 11 and a valve part lor nipple 12 (Fig. 3) surrounded by a clutch member 13, the purposes of which are more fully hereinafter described in connection with the lubricant compressor.

Figs. 3 through 8 illustrate a so-called booster lubricant compressor including av barrel 14 having a removable rear head l5, into which is threaded a stem 16 carrying the usual plunger 16a interiorly of the barrel 14 and a handle 17. The plunger 16 may be separate from the stem, as shown in my copending application Serial No. 8,587, filed February 11, 1925.

At the discharge end of the compressor, the barrel is drawn out to a reduced portion 18 exteriorly threaded to receive a nozzle sleeve 19. The nozzle sleeve 19 presents, at its outer end, female threads 20 for engagement with male threads 21 presented by the lubricant-receiving nipple 22 or the male threads 23 of the nipple 12 presented by the supply apparatus. Between the female threads 2O and the reduced end portion 18 of the barrel 14 are held the usual valve seat part 24, centering part 25 and between them the hat-shaped sealing Washer 26. The valve seat part 24 fits snugly into the reduced end of the barrel and supports a seat part 27 for a ball check 28. Both valve seat parts are cored to provide a high pressure chamber 29 having a relatively smaller cross-sectional area than the barrel 14 of the gun. At the outer end of the chamber, I have provided a closure valve 30 and at the inner end is provided the check valve as above referred to. Both valves are held against their seats by a single spring 31.

Lubricant may be expelled `from the compressor to a lubricant-receiving nipple under relatively low potential pressure as shown in Fig. 6, or the lubricant may be expelled from the' compressor at a relativelyhigh potential pressure as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The reasons for the high and low pressure and the operations of the parts are substantially as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 8,582, filedV herewith, now Patent No. 1,647,538.

I provide means for opening the check valve 28 during filling of the device through the nozzle. Thus in the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated, the closure valve 30 is provided with a sloping portion 30a at its inner end for opening (herein by lateral shifting, see Fig. 4)`the ball check 28 when the compresser is fully engaged with the nipple 12. Thus lubricant may pass by both valves into the barrel as ymore fully hereinafter described.

Before a lubricant compressor, of the construction above described, can be filled with lubricant through the nozzle, the plunger 16a must be retracted. To do this quickly, I have providedv a piston-retracting mechanism which I have secured to the head 3 of the supply tank. This mechanism includes a frame part 32 cast integral with the head 3, and supporting a shaft 33 at its upper end. At one end of the shaft 33, I have provided a handlereceiving part 34, partly cylindrical and par-tly U-shaped in cross-section as illustrated in 'Figs 1 and 2. At the opposite end of the shaft 33, I have provided a small pinion 35 meshin with a relatively larger gear 36 supported y a shaft 37 at the lower part of the frame 32. This snaft 37 also carries a handle 38 outside the gear 36 for rotation of the shaft 37 by hand. Thus the gear 36 will drive the shaft 33 at a relatively greater rate of speed than the shaft 37 is turned by hand. It is of course obvious that this mechanism may be driven in any other manner than by simply turning a handle.

My preferred method of filling a lubricant compressor, such as the one shown in the drawings, is as follows: First, the operator grasps the barrel 14 of the lubricant compressor and inserts its handle 17 into the handlereceiving part 34 of the plunger retracting mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2. Then, while still holding the barrel 14, the operator turns the handle 38 in a clockwise direction, thereby rotating the handle-receiving part in a contra-clockwise direction. This in turn quickly and easily retracts the plunger 16a in the barrel 14 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The compressor may be coupled with the nipple 12 presented by the supply apparatus by grasping the barrel 14 of the compressor and turning it in a clock-wise direction looking at the handle end of the compressor; Suliicient torque must be exerted on the barrel to spread the resilient portions of the clutch member 13 so that they may grip the nozzle sleeve 19 of the compressor for holding it in engagement with the nipple without the aid of the operator, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. During this coupling operation, the smooth end of the nipple 12 enters the nozzle of the compressor and the outer end of the valve 38 engages the closure valve 30, forcing it inwardly (Fig. 3) as the female threads 20 engage the male threads 23. Further rotation of the compressor forces the closure valve 30 inwardly until the sloping portion 30* of the closure valve engages and displaces the'check valve 28, as best illustrated in Fig. 4. As the valve 38, located in the end of the nipple 12, is pressed toward its seat by a stronger spring 39 than the spring 31 which is interposed between the check valve 28 and the closure valve 30, this valve 38 cannot be'opened until both the closure valve and the check valve has been opened. Thus the vale 38 stays closed until after both the valves 28 and 30 are opened, and it only begins to open just prior to completion of the coupling operation.

The lubricant in the tank 2 which has been previously placed under pressure by rotation of the handle 10, until a suflicient pressure has been shown on the gage 11, will flow past the valve 38 in the nipple through the hollow stem 4Q thereof and past both valves in the nozzle. The pressure of the lubricant must be sufficient to force the air in the bar-- rel pastthe plunger located at the rear end of the barrel.

By previously determining the amount of pressure which is necessary to force the air from the barrel, it will be readily understood that by keeping the pressure of the lubricant above the determined pressure necessary, that the gage 11 will cease to function when the barrel is full of lubricant. Thus I have rovided a visible means of determining w en the barrel 14 of the compressor has been refilled with lubricant. This feature is quite essential, because if no means Were provided for determining when the compressor was full of lubricant, the operator might detach the compressor from the nipple before it had been fully loaded, thereby making it necessary for him to go through the entire operation of securing the gun to the supply tank, as before stated.

Disengagement of the gun from the nozzle 12 is effected by grasping the barrel and turning it in a contra-clockwise direction to release it from the cultch member 13 and the nipple 12 at the same time. The valve 38 closes first to cut off the supply of lubricant from the tank 2. vThe check valve 28 then closes and before final disengagement of the coupling threads 20 and 23, the closure valve 30 closes to prevent escape of the lubricant from the gun (Fig. 5). The gun is now ready for use in connection with supplying lubricant under high or low pressure to lubricantreceiving nipples, as best illustrated in Figs. 6 through 8.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the method and iilling apparatus described may be employed in filling many dierent types of lubricant-expelling devices, and it will also be understood that changes involving omission, substitution, alteration and reversal of parts, and even changes in the mode of operation, may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, which is best defined in the following claims.

Claims:

1. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a lubricant compressor having a barrel and a valve nozzle for making a quick detachable connection with a lubricant receiving part, the valve in said nozzle serving to prevent reverse flow of lubricant through said nozzle in the normal use of the compressor,

and lubricant supply apparatus for filling said compressor and having means cooperating with said nozzle and producing abnormal displacement of the valve therein to permit illinglof said compressor through said nozzle. 2.. ubricating apparatus' comprising, in combination, a lubricant compressor having a barrel, and a valve nozzle for making a quick detachable connection with a lubricant receiving part, the valve in said nozzle serving to prevent reverse iow of lubricant through said nozzle in the normal use of the compressor, and lubricant supply apparatus for lling said compressor and havingl means cooperating vvith said nezale and producing abcombination, lubricant supply apparatus inc cluding a reservoir, a piston for compressing the lubricant in said reservoir, a valve part communicating with the lubricant in said reservoir and presenting male coupling means for engagement with female coupling means presented by a lubricant compressor, said compressor including a lubricant container, a nozzle connected with said container, and a closure valve in said nozzle beyond said female coupling means, both of said valves openable by coupling said nozzle with said valve art, thereby to permit the lubricant in said supply apparatus to fill the container of said lubricant compressor, and a resilient clutch member surrounding said valve part for engagement with the exterior surface of said nozzle to hold said lubricant'compressor in cooperative engagement with said valve part during the lilling operation.

4. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a lubricant compressor having a barrel, means for expelling lubricant therefrom, a coupling nozzle secured to the end of said barrel for engagement with a lubricant receiving nipple, a closure valve in the end of said nozzle, a check valve between said closure valve and said barrel to preclude passage of lubricant into said barrel, a chamber between said valves of relatively smaller cross-sectional area than said barrel from which lubricant may be expelled under a relatively high potential pressure, and means for displacing said check valve upon a predetermined movement of said closure valve.

, 5. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a lubricantcompressor having a barrel, means for expelling lubricant therefrom, a coupling nozzle secured to the end of said barrel for engagement with a lubricant receiving nipple, a closure valve in the end of said nozzle, a check valve between said l closure valve and said barrel t-o preclude passage of lubricant into said barrel, a chamber between said valves of relatively smaller y crossesectional area than said barrel from which lubricant may be expelled under a relatively high potential pressure, and means integral with said closure valve for displacing said check valve upon a predetermined movement of said closure valve.

6. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a lubricant compressor presenting a discharge nozzle having a plurality of valves, one of said valves precluding passage of lubricant into the barrel of said compressor when said nozzle is secured to a lubricant receiving nipple, a lubricant supply apparatus containing lubricant'l under pressure and havu ing a nipple for engagement with said nozzle and adapted to open both of said valves, said nipple having a valve openable only after both of said nozzle valves have been opened thereby to permit How of lubricant from said supply apparatus to the barrel of said compressor.

7. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a lubricant compressor having a source of lubricant supply, a discharge nozzle having an interior chamber receiving lubricant from said source of supply, a check valve between said source of supply and said chamber, said check valve normally opposing i passage of lubricantJ from said chamber to said source of supply, and means forfrendering said check valve temporarily inoperative to permit lubricant to be forced through Said nozzle to fill said source of supply.

8. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a compressor having a source of lubricant supply, a discharge nozzle having an interior chamber receiving lubricant from said source of supply, a check valve between said source of supply and said chamber, said check valve normally opposing passage of lubricant from said chamber to said source of supply, and longitudinally shiftable means in said nozzle for laterally shifting said check valve and rendering the same temporarily inoperative to permit filling of said source of supply through said nozzle.

9. Lubricating apparatus comprising, in combination, a compressor having a source of lubricant supply, a discharge nozzle having an interior chamber receivin lubricant from said source of supply, a chec valve between said source of supply and said chamber, said check valve normally opposing passage of lubricant from said chamber to said source of supply, and longitudinally shiftable means in said nozzle presenting an inclined surface toward said check valve for laterally shifting said check valve and rendering the same temporarily inoperative to ermit Afilling of said source of supply throug said nozzle.

10. A lubricant compressor including a barrel, a plunger for discharging lubricant from said barrel, a nozzle connected to said barrel and presenting an interior chamber, a check valve interposed between said barrel and chamber normally to permit flow of lubricant into said chamber while, opposing liow of lubricant from said chamber to said barrel, a closure valve op osing flow of lubricant from said nozzle 1n the opposite direction but openable by a lubricant receiving nipple to permit such flow, and means for displacing said check valve from its seat when said closure valve is opened to a greater extent than it is normally opened by 'a lubricant receiving nipple.

In testimony whereof, I have s1gned my name to this specification.

HOWARD J. MURPHY. 

